Friday, July 27, 2007

Just popping in

to say "hi!"

We are having a great time in Korea. Despite a somewhat rocky start (our flight to Chicago was delayed and we thought we'd miss our connecting flight), we made it (by a squeak - 10 minutes, and only because the flight to Korea was 20 minutes delayed) - but alas, our luggage did not fare as well. I was advised ahead of time to carry spare clothing in our carry-on, so we managed until our luggage was found three days later. Fresh clothes have never been so welcoming. My kids also both got sick on the long bus ride from the airport to the hotel. I feel like I've lost 5 pounds already, just by all the walking and sweating!! It's been cooler than expected but still hot, hot, hot and humid.

But once we arrived at the hotel, all was good. My friend Jane (also an adoptee who has been living in Korea for the past 2+ years) welcomed us at the airport and has been an amazing guide and it's been great to catch up as well. Her Korean language skills are amazing to me, and even though she feels far behind, I have been inspired by her to start taking language lessons seriously when I return. I know that the next time I come to Korea, I want to be able to speak more than "hello" and "thank you."

So far, we've done a bunch of real tourist-y things and I have been awed by how well my kids have traveled. We have visited Insa-dong, Namsam Park and took the cable car to Seoul Tower. We visited Lotte World (though not the rides) and visited the Folk Museum there, and watched the changing of the guards at Gyeongbokgung Palace. We went to Korybo bookstore and found Harry Potter (a requirement for my daughter) and also bought the first Harry Potter book in Korean for fun.My friend lives near Sinchon, so we've spent several evenings walking around that college neighborhood stufing ourselves on street food and buying cheap trinkets.

We took a road trip to Daegu to visit my orphanage. My kids sat on the steps where I was found as a one-year old baby. For my kids, that made my history all the more real. They are really quite the troopers. We went to the Heinsa temple and that was so beautiful and made me really appreciate the country that I was born in. My daughter, who is 13, said to me in the car on the way back to Seoul, "I'd live here, Mom" and I felt like I'd won the lottery.

My son, with his cute curly hair and sweet face, has been the delight of all the ajummas in Seoul. Every day, they pet him and force feed him raisins and mints and gum and candy and one even pulled him out of one subway car into the next one because there was an empty seat for him. Hmph. She didn't care one bit about the rest of us! That was one bold ajumma. She took off his baseball cap and wiped the sweat off his face with a tissue. My daughter has been feeling kind of jealous of all that attention. If I was worried about the stares and rude behavior, it's been the opposite. My husband and son are fawned over every time they open their mouths. Oh, they coo and aaah over their "kahmsamnida's" while my daughter and I are virtually ignored!! (We're still having a great time, though)!

Tonight we picked up a bunch of friends for dinner. The IKAA conference I'm attending and presenting at doesn't start until next Wed. but people are starting to trickle in and I've reconnected already with several long-time friends.

We have another few days before Mr. and the kids leave and the conference begins. I'll pop in again if I get the chance. I've been journaling like crazy, and hope to have some interesting things to write about for the blog when I return.

Comments

Just popping in

to say "hi!"

We are having a great time in Korea. Despite a somewhat rocky start (our flight to Chicago was delayed and we thought we'd miss our connecting flight), we made it (by a squeak - 10 minutes, and only because the flight to Korea was 20 minutes delayed) - but alas, our luggage did not fare as well. I was advised ahead of time to carry spare clothing in our carry-on, so we managed until our luggage was found three days later. Fresh clothes have never been so welcoming. My kids also both got sick on the long bus ride from the airport to the hotel. I feel like I've lost 5 pounds already, just by all the walking and sweating!! It's been cooler than expected but still hot, hot, hot and humid.

But once we arrived at the hotel, all was good. My friend Jane (also an adoptee who has been living in Korea for the past 2+ years) welcomed us at the airport and has been an amazing guide and it's been great to catch up as well. Her Korean language skills are amazing to me, and even though she feels far behind, I have been inspired by her to start taking language lessons seriously when I return. I know that the next time I come to Korea, I want to be able to speak more than "hello" and "thank you."

So far, we've done a bunch of real tourist-y things and I have been awed by how well my kids have traveled. We have visited Insa-dong, Namsam Park and took the cable car to Seoul Tower. We visited Lotte World (though not the rides) and visited the Folk Museum there, and watched the changing of the guards at Gyeongbokgung Palace. We went to Korybo bookstore and found Harry Potter (a requirement for my daughter) and also bought the first Harry Potter book in Korean for fun.My friend lives near Sinchon, so we've spent several evenings walking around that college neighborhood stufing ourselves on street food and buying cheap trinkets.

We took a road trip to Daegu to visit my orphanage. My kids sat on the steps where I was found as a one-year old baby. For my kids, that made my history all the more real. They are really quite the troopers. We went to the Heinsa temple and that was so beautiful and made me really appreciate the country that I was born in. My daughter, who is 13, said to me in the car on the way back to Seoul, "I'd live here, Mom" and I felt like I'd won the lottery.

My son, with his cute curly hair and sweet face, has been the delight of all the ajummas in Seoul. Every day, they pet him and force feed him raisins and mints and gum and candy and one even pulled him out of one subway car into the next one because there was an empty seat for him. Hmph. She didn't care one bit about the rest of us! That was one bold ajumma. She took off his baseball cap and wiped the sweat off his face with a tissue. My daughter has been feeling kind of jealous of all that attention. If I was worried about the stares and rude behavior, it's been the opposite. My husband and son are fawned over every time they open their mouths. Oh, they coo and aaah over their "kahmsamnida's" while my daughter and I are virtually ignored!! (We're still having a great time, though)!

Tonight we picked up a bunch of friends for dinner. The IKAA conference I'm attending and presenting at doesn't start until next Wed. but people are starting to trickle in and I've reconnected already with several long-time friends.

We have another few days before Mr. and the kids leave and the conference begins. I'll pop in again if I get the chance. I've been journaling like crazy, and hope to have some interesting things to write about for the blog when I return.

The Kimchi Mamas

Keep It Spicy

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